Cawston, Norfolk (1897)

A chance for members to visit…

The water tower was designed in 1897 by Sir Ernest George based on Dutch architecture of the time, it is the only ten sided water tower in Europe and is built of Cawston red brick, made at the Marshall Howard Brick Kiln. The owner of Cawston Manor, an American stockbroker coincidently called George Cawston, had it built to get fresh water to the Manor.

David Forster attended Cawston College as a boy and first became acquainted with the water tower then when his teacher, George Mumford, took him up the tower via the 85 ft. ladder which remains in situ on the wall of the tower, running through every room.

He became aware that the tower was up for sale through his friendship with Nick Youngs, and was determined to buy it, and so with his inheritance purchased it from Nick’s father, Gerald in 2002.

David has done much of the work on the tower himself, to turn the tower into a home for his wife and two boys. The renovation was actually filmed by Channel 5 for their programme “Build a New Life in the Country”. David has now built an extension onto the tower, to house a workshop and living quarters for when he and his wife become unable to climb the many stairs up to each room of the tower.
Reproduced by kind permission of www.cawstonheritage.co.uk

The Cawston Remembers project have created this video of David and his water tower:

David and Jenny have kindly invited members of the British Water Tower Appreciation Society to visit their tower — all members should have received an e-mail from us with details… If you have not, please e-mail us at bwtas@hotmail.co.uk (regardless of whether you intend to come on this visit) so we can update our list and keep you informed of forthcoming activities. Places on this visit are limited, so you need book before you attend.

Ferrers

The Detective's Secret

According to the Sunday Times crime writer Lesley Thomson's latest novel The Detective's Secret is a "haunting novel about loss and reconciliation". It features a fictional water tower inspired by Thomson staying in a friend's converted tower in Paddington and BWTAS gets a grateful mention in the acknowledgements for supplying Lesley with a reading list.

Crime novels featuring water towers in the plot are few and far between but their dark and dank interiors and impenetrable and imperturbable strength and usefulness as a vantage point and for containing secrets is deftly exploited here. The results are well worth reading.

Lesley Thomson's website provides a gallery of images from the locations in which she has set her story.

lesleythomson.co.uk/detectives-secret/

Lesser Known Architecture touring exhibition offered

"Britain is rich with forgotten architecture: extraordinary buildings, structures and ideas that helped define the landscape of their time and the technology of the future, but which are often unknown to the general public."

Lesser Known Architecture is an ongoing photographic research project by Theo Simpson that seeks to document these structures, bringing their existence (and sometimes their plight) to a wider audience and acknowledges the architects and engineers who created such inspiring work.

 The original Design Museum exhibition, curated by Elias Redstone, featured ten lesser known architectural sites across London nominated by leading architecture critics. These were presented in a series of offset prints and Tank installation designed by Ben McLaughlin, and displayed as part of London Festival of Architecture in 2013. The touring exhibition features 30 framed prints, taking in sites not only in the capital, but across the United Kingdom as a whole.

"Lesser Known Architecture presents an architectural epitaph for a forgotten era."

We doubt BWTAS members are surprised that a water tower is the poster child for lesser known architecture. Should any venues host this touring exhibition being offered by the Design Museum, we would be happy to mention them here.

Download the exhibition proposal here

Photography: Theo Simpson
Guest Curator: Elias Redstone
Graphic Design: Ben McLaughlin
Tour Venues: National Centre for Craft and Design, Lincolnshire 22 November 2014 – 20 March 2015 Available: April 2015 onwards
Space: 50 linear metres approx.
Hire Fee: On request

Castle Acre Open Day 22nd March 2015

Photographer Dennis Pedersen has always had a thing for water towers. He says he was inspired by the futuristic cartoon The Jetsons and Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds. Never did he think that he might one day be the proud owner of one.

Last year he bought a decommissioned Braithwaite type tower just outside Castle Acre in Norfolk.

To his dismay though he found that the presumed fate for the Meccano-like structure by the vendors and local planners was its demolition for its scrap value. However Dennis recognised the tower as an important part of the area's rural heritage and he had a vision that this unused resource could "create an outstanding example of sustainable recycling."

Inspired by the work of the Landmark Trust and the Living Architecture Project, he commissioned cutting edge architects Tonkin Liu to envisage a way to preserve the structure with minimal changes yet allow it to be reused for accommodation. Now he's holding an open day at the tower to show local people and water tower enthusiasts his plans.

BWTAS members have been especially invited to come along and some will be available to explain the engineering history and cultural significance of water towers. Dennis and his architect will be showing a model of a potential conversion and serving tea and biscuits and giving free tours of the tower from 10 AM to dusk. If you'd like to come and have a nosey around or see the plans or show your support, all would be very welcome.

Please note that access to the tank is restricted by ladders and Dennis can only take small groups up there. The risk assessment for any water tower is that heights and places only normally accessible to trained personnel can be dangerous and so your visit will be entirely at your own risk. You will have to be suitably fit if you want to climb up to visit the tank. The site is overgrown and derelict and appropriate footwear and clothing are advisable. No children or persons under 18 may go up the tower. 

Please check this page for updates before you set off as this event is dependent on weather and jobsworth. The tower is .2 miles from the village where there are numerous attractions and facilities. Please park considerately.

This is a rare opportunity and BWTAS is profoundly grateful to Mr. Pedersen for his offer of hospitality.

Sunday 22nd March, 10 AM to dusk
Massingham Rd
Castle Acre

www.dennispedersen.com